LAHORE: Speakers at a roundtable conference on Tuesday called for joint efforts by all sectors of the country’s textile industry to safeguard the interests of the entire value chain.

The conference also sought suggestions from associations representing different sectors of the industry to form a common agenda to safeguard the interests all stakeholders.

The conference was organised by the Pakistan Readymade Garments Manufacturers and Exporters Association to smoothen the differences that the stakeholders had developed during 2010 when the value added exporters forced the government to first slap a quota restriction and then a complete ban on yarn exports.

In his opening remarks, Pakistan Ready Made Garments Manufacturers Association chairman Ijaz Khokar urged the stakeholders to forget differences and ensure that in future none of the textile industry’s value chain demands concessions that are detrimental to the interest of other sector(s).

He suggested ‘fair-play’ to participants in combating the crisis and helping each other at a joint forum.

All-Pakistan Textile Mills Association Chairman Gohar Ejaz was of the view that the industry would make progress only if principle of free trade is strictly adhered to.

He said spinners had suffered losses when quota was imposed on the export of yarn at the behest of apparel sector.

He said last year’s experience had proved that no one benefited from restrictions on free trade. Many of the participants agreed with him.

He said export of yarn had decreased this year and of value added products increased significantly because the free trade mechanism was allowed to work without any hindrance.

“Farmers got over Rs400 billion because of adherence to free market principal,” he said. On the other hand, he said, India’s farmers suffered because of ban on cotton exports. He said Indian cotton farmers are committing suicide as a result of this policy.

Aptma, he added, fully supports the right of the farmers to get global rates of cotton through free cotton trade.

Husain Jehanian Gardezi of the Farmers’ Association of Pakistan said the farmers are the weakest stakeholders in the entire textile value chain. He said protection of the farmers’ interest is in the interest of the entire textile chain.He said the increase in cotton production is possible only if farmers get parity price for their crop.

Former Pakistan Hosiery Manufacturers Association chairman Adil Butt admitted that the demand of restrictions on yarn exports was a mistake of the apparel sector. Instead, he added, the sector should have sought subsidy from the government to dilute the impact of high yarn rates.

Leading apparel exporter M I Khurram said that the proposed FPTI should concentrate on issues like energy, interest rates that impact the entire value chain.

He was also critical of those who had sought restrictions on yarn exports.

Shahzad Ahmad Khan, a spinner, said that the industry should convince the government that with mild facilitations it is the only sector that has the ability and potential to create million jobs a year.

Sixteen associations representing farmers, ginners, spinners, weavers, denim exporters, processors, sizing industry, apparel exporters gave their input at the conference.

It was decided that a committee comprising one representative from each association would be formed that would spell out the principals on which proposed FPTI would operate.